Rotary valve for combustion engines



Nov. .15, 1927. 1,649,779

Y B. A. KNuDsoN ROTARY VALVE FOR COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed Nov. l. 1925 Morng/.SJ

Patented Nov. 15, 1927.

` UNITED STATES BARN-EY A.. KNUD'S0N,VOF SANTA ANA, CALIFORNIA.

ROTARY f VALVE FOR COMBUSTION ENGINES."

Application aiedtnovember 1, 192s; serial `Na maaar.Y

ThisA invention` relates; toA rotary sleeve valves fort combustion. engines and'.v `morefpar.-v ticularly toV that class.. ot. engines Whichisr. especially adapted for use in the automobile:

industry.

An object vofimy'inv'ention isit'o .provide a rotary sleeve? valvefin head.: which.` is simple;- and durable.Vv in'L construction and?. which. isi adaptectto zsupplantilthe-i Widely usedftypesot poppet valve;`

Another object oimy invention. isftolprovideA au rotary' sleeve i valvewhich:` is: con-- structed: andv assembled in one piecei and Whichwill `automatically perform' the function otla numberY of poppet'valves;

With.; the vforegoing and other objects' in view:` which: will be made' manifest inthe following detailed-` description and specifically pointedk out in the appended claims,

` 2U reference is had to the accompanying drawings for an illustrative embodiment of the invention7 wherein: .f y

Figurel. is a side vie-W partly insection taken through an internal combustion engine "-ff' employing the principlesofmyrotary sleeve lll) valve-in head. motor,

Fig. 2 is an end sectiona'l'vieyv takenarlong tlie:linesi2-2 of Fig.' l; .and` K Fig. 3'is an end sectional vievs7 of a moditiled` form of `my invention,` wherein I have eniployedxthe use of two rotary' sleeve' valves infthe cylinder head.

Referring to the. accompanying drawings, whereinv similar reference characters designate similar parts throughout, the engine bloclrisillustrated at land has a depending apron at its lower extremity; Secured to this apron by means of suitable bolts is crank cased. This crank case is adapted to receive a supply of oil to lubricate the `main and connecting rod bearings which operate within the crank case. The conventional type et, crank shaft is Ashown at 5, and this together with the connect-ing rods '6, the pistons 7. the piston rings 8,icylinder Walls 9, main bearings l() and connecting bearings 1l cooperate to form the conventional type of rotary :tour cycleinternal combustion engine. The parts thus tar shown are to be taken `as merely illustrative in connection with my invention `and no claim as to novelty or ingenuity in constructing these parts is made. lWhile it is evident that I contemplate the use ct my invention in engines of greateror lessf horse power or `with engines havingav greater or` lessnumber of: cylinders, I `prefer in thisinstance to.` illustrate' jmy invention in connection zivith the crdmaryfourl'cycle tour cylinder combustion.' engine. I .Will novvfde;

scribe in detail the parts Whicli are illus# trated. in; the drawings andiivhich in assem bled. relation cc'onstitute my'finvention;

Sutablyfsecured tothe engineblockgl by means i. oct'' bolts f 9.0` are aA pillow member 2l" and. capV member 22.1 These memberslin horizontal crosssecti'on"y are of the same contiguration as the engine blockand rest there-y upon-` in superimposed relationandmay be separated trom each other `and from! the en'- gine block by a suitable gasket, Vnot'shown, to prevent the escape of exploded gasesor' water. The pillow member 2l has an elonga ted semi-circular recess extending throughout itsentire length, and formed centrallyinthe bottom 'ot the `recess are a series-ofert-` haust and intake ports i231andtrespec tively; y ployetl theju'se of four cylinders, therewill be iourfintalre ports and iourexhaus'tports. Adapted to lit snugly Within this semi-circuL lar recess in the pillou7 member is an elongated tubulalrf cylindrical sleeve valve mem# berV 30, and this sleeve member has, situated. at various points onrits-circumference, a similari'l seriesof` intake and' exhaust ports adapted towregisterivith the portswhich are located centrally of the recess in thepillovv meniber 21. i The exhaust ports in both instances are shown as elongated slots which are slightly longer thanV the intake ports.v The exhaust ports on therotary sleeve'are shown at While the intake? portsare shown atQG, and in this insta-nce there are four'in number oi each;` Twoof the exhaust ports in the cylindrical sleeve member occupy a position at the outer end ofthe same, While the reniaining tivo exhaust ports are located at intermediate positions. These two centrally located exhaust ports are formed'by diametrically opposed elongated slots 40 and el which are connected by anelongated tubular member which tits snugly Within the slots and which forms diametrical channels extending through the cylindrical valve meiiiber. The exhaust ports locatedat the outer end of the cylindrical valve member are similarly formed by elongated diametri` cally opposed slots, but these slots commu- In this instance since Il have" emnicate with one another through chambers 42 instead of an elongated tubular sleeve member such as is shown at 4l. rIhese chambers are formed by the `insertion oi'the members 43 having baiiies 44y and 45 connected together at 46. v

The insertion of the two'members 43 at each end of the cylindrical valve member serves `to form a centrally located chamber 50 and all of the intake ports 26` communicate directly With Athis chamber. A series ot' exhaust manifolds 44 and intake manifolds 45 are located in thecap member and each is adapted to communicate with its respective exhaust or intake port in the cylindrical sleeve member. While itis possible that I might employ the useof the elongated tubularysleeve members in connecting diametri-` cally opposed slots, forming the intake ports injthejcylindrical sleeve `memberand also ormingthe two outer exhaust ports, Ihave deemed `this construction .unnecessary and .f have preferred to construct the diainetrically opposedslots in one instance so as to com' municate` directly lxvith thesinterior oi' the i chamber 'and in the other instance communicate `directly with the interior of the chamber 42.` NAS` the chamber 50 is sealed, except when one of the intakefports `26 forms a connection" Abetween :the intake manifold` andthe combustion chamber, vt-here is no necessityl `for `forming these elongated tubu- `lar members-in` the slots.

"No `detailed description of the exhaust arrangement oi' ports on thecylindrical valve member Will be given in this specification, as it isbelieved sufficient to say that the same arelsuitably located at points on the circumference ofthe cylindrical member so as to vive the proper timinff effect and `to introducegas intoeach cylinder asthe same is required and to permit the escape of eXplod ed gases-at the opportune moment. Thecylindricalfvalve `member 30 isadapted to be rotated directlyffrom the crank shatt by means of achain or gear 51 Whichlforms an operative connection between the-tivo pulleyv Wheels 52 and 53 as `shown in Fig. l. These wheels areso constructed as'rto have a d1a.`

yrnetrical-ratio of one to `four so that upon every complete revolution ofthe crank shaft `5, a quarter of arevolution ofthe cylindrical valve member 50 occurs. ,Y f

`In Fig. 3 I have illustrated a modified form of my invention. In this iigure I have shown tvvo cylindrical valve members 30' and 30", the former of which controls the exhaust valves and the latter controls the intakeuvalves. The Y port 23 communicates directly from the combustion chamber to each of these valves.` This, however, isan alternativeconstruction and I have described my invention uliy inlconnection` with 4the preferred tormcshoivn in Fig. l.

I have thus illustrated my invention in connection with a four cycle four cylinder internal combustion engine. However, I do not desire to limit myself to the exact arvengines comprisingin combination a pillow` member. anda cap member, a hollow,cylin dricalgvalved member adapted `to rotate in said cap and pillow members, said cylindri-l calr'member having diametricallymop osed, elongated ,slots thereinp certain of `sai slots being connected by a` iat,.tubular member, thereby l forming ai closed passage-way through the `valve member, a spool-like member having circulariianges `on the ends there of in said valvemember,saidend flan es fit` ting tightly against the interior of sai `valve member and shutting oli a pair otsajid opposed slots from communication with theremainder of the interiorof thevalve member, others of saidslots communicating with the interiorl of the valve member as and for the purpose specified. y i w 2. A rotary valve .for internal combustion engines comprising in combination a `pillow member and acap member, ahollow, cylindrical valve member adapted to rotate in said cap and pillow members, said cylindricalmeinber having diametrically opposed, elongated slots therein, certain of said opposed slots being connected `by a `flat, tubular memben thereby i'orming a closed `assagefjvvay therethrough, spool-like mem ers having cirtailar` end `tlangesj fitting within said tubular member and dividing the sameinto,compartments,` said spool meme bers eachdeliningin conjunction with said valve member, a compartment .between the flanges of, the same, and cach confining a pair of opposed slots to communicationisolely with said compartment, `others of saidop posed slots comnnniicating With the interior of said tubular valve member as and `for the purpose specified.

B. The combination -with aniuternal com bustion engiuehaving a block, of a pillow member and a cap member, `both removably attached to said block, a hollow, cylindrical valve member adapted to rotate in said cap and pillow members, said cylindrical member having diametrically opposed,` elongated .slots therein, kcertain ot said `opposed slots being connected by a fiat,itnbular member,

itil) thereby forming a closed passageway therepair of opposed slots from the genera-1 inthrough, others of said slots communicating terior, of the valve member as and for the with the general interior of the valve mempurpose specified. l0 bei", spooLlike members inserteble in said In testimony whereof I have signed my 5 valve member, having end Hanges tting name to this specification.

tightly against thel interior of said valve member, each spool member shutting off a BARNEY A. KNUDSON. 

